ENOUGH BLAME TO GO AROUND

I am a fan of Disconnect and in anticipation of their new release, have expanded my prog horizon to reach out and listen to other bands that have influenced Disconnect's collaborators so I consider myself well-rounded. Their new release "Enough Blame To Go Around" is EPIC! This is a BRILLIANT work and the tracks weave a intricate tapestry of angst, ire, duplicity and general feelings of a world gone awry. Those descriptions don't match with the word BRILLIANT, but for a work of music to elicit those feelings is incredible. Instead of going track by track, I am jumping directly to my favorite - track 3 "Falling Man". Falling Man is for me a very emotional visit to the events and aftermath of 9/11 which was a very real time in my life. The use of news clips intertwined with percussion and guitar in the intro is clever and when the voice of Bin Laden (or whoever it is speaking) says in the final sentence "retaliate" and BOOM - right into the driving lead of the vocals -- sends chills just thinking about that orchestration! The lyrics decidedly put forth that complacency has just rolled over in it's sleep for most -- a reminder of the patriotism that was so well worn for awhile until many think of the time as just another place in a history book. Disconnect continually looms the East versus West issues during the course of the 17:32 minute track. The Eastern taste of tones mid-song just blows me away -- I am overcome with awe and emotion that these ethnic tones are well-placed and well done! I don't know if the gentlemen of Disconnect spent time abroad studying the techniques of Eastern music or what, but it is a very cool display of their musical diversity. "Adventures in Taxidermy" -- what a great title for such a dark track -- from the strange sounds during the intro - reminiscent of a saw or drill - and the chunky space guitar and muted mega-phone vocals - lyrics worthy of listening to intently, the story sounds like something taken from the newspaper and embellished to fit the designs of the curious! The instrumental track "Inside Job" is curious if not just good filler. I can see this track used in a good, intense movie drama. Chunky guitars with classic drums -- like a track that RUSH had in mind but never finished it. I like it. "Sufficient" is a track that upon first listen I thought was just alright, but it has grown on me, especially the pacing -- it meanders through and is refreshing after exhausting my emotions during Falling Man! I think of it as my respite track before I hit "Twisting the Knife"... which at 18:44 is a commitment. I feel the spirit of King Crimson and a visit by Kevin Gilbert stroll during the intro of the track, then it gets all funky and classic progressive rock - I mean really CLASSIC. The guitar work on this track ambles around stylings in the like of Jeff Beck, Robert Fripp, David Gilmore, and even a little Mark Knopfler. I love the "hopeful" piano sound at moments during this track. I don't have anything bad to say and I am really not a fan of long songs - but the changes during the tracks make them sound curiously independent yet interdependent. Enough Blame To Go Around is a BRILLIANT release by an independent band who really need to get out, hook up with a well known prog group and tour. I would love to see Disconnect live. This is my summer album. I'm taking it to the beach; on the road trips; to the mountains; on the flights. Join me, won't you?